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Finals: You make the call

The Stanley Cup Finals — you might remember them — start tomorrow in Detroit, so why not do a poll to see what everyone thinks will happen? I was hoping for a Chicago-Pittsburgh final, even though I predicted Detroit-Pittsburgh — really, I did, it’s somewhere in one of last month’s Hockey News editions — and now I’ll go with Penguins in 6. All things being equal, I’d go with Detroit, but the Wings are banged up and I like the Pens’ chances of stealing at least one of these weekend games in Detroit. What do you think?

I am really interested in the Hossa storyline. I am kinda rooting for the Pens because of it. The grass is NOT always greener! Anyone else think that what happens here will determine where he goes next year?

TB

I voted Pittsburgh in 7 because while I think its their time to take it all, I doubt Detroit will give away any of the games. It will be a brutally hard fought series. Looking forward to the Hossa rematch!

variable

i’ll be rooting for pitt, but i voted for detroit in 7…this might be a series will be referencing for years to come…i’m expecting an epic battle…should be great to watch…

mrbrett7

I would have written exactly what Rich did. Detroit is the better overall team, but, with all their injuries, you can’t overlook that, and how well Pittsburgh has played up until now.

Pittsburgh in 6.

AEG rulez

Wingding in 5. Superior depth will tell. Pens really don’t have much on LW-RW.

Dan H.

Detroit in 6.

The only thing the Wings have to overcome is their own goaltending. We’ve seen first hand how Osbad can collapse.

Matt George

I just wanted to go on record.

Pens in 7.

nayagamj

OsGOOD is a 3 time stanley cup champion. he’s top 10 in playoff and regular season wins. i think its time he’s given the respect he’s earned.

David

I concur Rich…Pens in six. You have the revenge factor from last year plus Malkin & Crosby have been playing great lately.

The Red Wings / Divers have a strong team and are well coached. One reason they’re such a good puck possession team is that they cheat big time on faceoffs.

When they line up for faceoffs, don’t watch the player taking the draw, but instead focus on their other four players in the faceoff circle.

They are constantly jumping into the circle before the puck is dropped and are able to get to loose pucks much quicker than their opponent.

I really wish the league would not allow them to gain this competitive edge.

gregb

Given both franchises were once division rivals of the Kings (along with Montreal and Washington), I give the edge to the Original 6 team over the Original Expansion 6 team. It kills me to do so, but the best team will prevail and I think the Wings in 6 is the answer.

Dan H.

Sorry Nayagmj but Osgoods stats don’t stick up for the reverence you have for him. You can’t take the rings from him but don’t tell me he stacks up with the elite of the league:

41st in GAA at 3.09
45th in Save % at .887

If any Kings goalie had those stats everyone would have them run on a rail out of town. You can get away with it in Detroit. Not on most teams.

josh e.

osgood has been stellar in the past 2 post seasons though…thats when it counts the most….
P.S. I love how Pit in 4 has 1 vote and Pit in 5 has 13 votes…yet the bar graph has Pit in 4 larger than Pit in 5…kind of ammusing…

JGSmall

It will be a hard fought series, but Detroit has been making their luck. The puck bounces their way every time and they will overcome the injuries to win in 5. There is a little West Coast bias since I have seen Detroit more often, but I think they will get that relentless strike going and run over the Pens just like they did the Hawks. That said, like variable, I will be rooting for the Pens but I don’t think it will happen.

jediknight329

i voted for pittsburgh in 6 as well rich. i am very intrigued with the whole hossa/pens angle. i predict some heavier hits aimed at hossa during the series. i just think that the pens have the extra motivation this year – something to rally around.

and, one more thing not mentioned, is that danny bylsma is the head coach of the pens. how great is that for dan!!! an unknown commodity and former kings player takes over the reigns for pitt early in the season when the wheels were falling off the wagon and steers them to the stanley cup finals!! just awesome. how can you root against a guy like that.

good luck dan, go pens.

KingsFan19

I voted Pittsburgh in 6 but if it goes to a Game 7 I think Detroit will take it.

Matt George

(cough)

*(COUGH)*

sorry..

(cough)

that’s me ..

(cough)

choking on my prediction

(cough) (hack) (wheeze)

andrew

i like how the nhl is deciding to bail out malkin again by not suspending him for the instigator…… god i hate malkin crosby and the penguins.

WTF

Same here.

And the whining by the Pens, holy $hi+. Hossa lifts someone’s stick and take s the puck and that should e a penalty. They should go join the a pro soccer league so no one will touch tem and they can jump on the ground like they were shot for a living.

Funny how hockey is like the only sport where you do not see the draft lottery ball pop up. Crosby should be a Ranger and the Pens should be banned from first picks for blatently throwing a season to get Mario.

src3

Well, voted DET in 6. Looks like Pitt will be hard pressed to force a 6th game at this point. Looks like Wings in 5. PUT A NAIL IN IT!!! even without Datsuyk, they sure look unstoppable.

variable

i feel like i just watched the same game be played twice…

boy…say what you want about chris osgood, but the man has showed up for the playoffs once again…
pitt’s still in it…but they have to win both home games to make this series more competitive…

Ersberg

Wings in 4.

BakoCAcameraGuy

Funny. I didn’t vote because I hate both teams, Detroit for being so good, Pittsburgh because of Malkin’s goonery and Crosby’s whining. Always thought Detroit would win it but partially believed all the Kool-Aid about how it was the Penguins’ turn…

How amazing it is that this series has mimicked last year so closely, thus far. Two shutouts to start last year, two 1-goal-allowed wins this year. Clearly it is the role players that make Detroit stand above everyone else. Clearly it really blows cheese to be the Kings, with San Jose, Anaheim and Detroit games dominating their schedule. Think how the Ducks were even in Game 7 with the Red Wings, with only 4 minutes left in the third period… The Ducks were very, very close. Not that the series is over at 2-0 Detroit… I expect the Pens to win one at home, taking us to 3-1 by game 5, just like last year…

Can you imagine if Sidsky ends up back in that same picture in the same pose, same game number, same way? What would his commercial be like next year? That’s something I can smile about…

Still, in watching Detroit I keep thinking about what it would take for the Kings to improve enough to beat them in a 7-game series. How many Kings could play for the Red Wings? Maybe Doughty, Quick, Simmonds, probably Frolov, Brown, maybe Kopitar, Handsus? Quincey was great for us, just a cast-off for the Wings… JMFJ? Not a chance. One defenceman, one goalie, 3-5 middle-to-bottom six forwards? The thought of that huge discrepancy in talent, motivation and coaching is truly depressing. It makes me consider becoming like Anthonyy…

Nah. Not that bad. 😉

You could combine the Kings and the Pens players, shake out one team and Detroit could STILL win the cup. The Kings are likely 10 players and a new coaching staff away from playing to the Detroit level. And even then, it might take three or four years just to get the playoff experience it takes to win the Cup. It’s not even that the Kings are that bad, it’s that the Wings are that good. I hate the Wings, I hate the Wings, I hate the Wings!

Who is behind Inside the Kings blog?

Elliott Teaford is an award-winning hockey reporter based in Southern California and witnessed the L.A. Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and in '14. He grew up playing outdoors on the streets of Philadelphia. He also watched the Flyers bully their way to consecutive Stanley Cups in the 1970s, and makes no excuses for their quasi-legal play.

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